Infant Supporting Garment

ABSTRACT

An infant supporting garment has a tubular neck member arranged to be worn about a neck of the caregiver and a bib member joined to a bottom end of the tubular neck member. The bib member has two side portions spanning laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to extend over shoulders of the caregiver when the tubular neck member is worn about the neck of the caregiver. An infant pocket is supported at a front of the bib member below the tubular neck member at an intermediate location between the two side portions of the bib member. The infant pocket is sized so as to be arranged to receive an infant at least partially supported therein such that the infant is suspended from the tubular neck member and such that the infant lies against a chest of the caregiver in use.

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/053,241, filed Jul. 17, 2020.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a bib to be worn on the upper torso of a user and which includes a pocket large enough to support an infant comfortably therein and provide protection to the infant's head and face by way of a long extended collar made of a soft material.

BACKGROUND

It is common for caregivers of newborns to sit with the newborn infants for long periods of time or carry the newborn infants adjacent the torso of the caregiver for various benefits including keeping the infant content. Worry of dropping the infant is very common. Devices used for hands free-holding infants are difficult and not easy to put on or remove. They require constant adjusting of fit from caregiver to caregiver and do not provide any protection to the caregiver from vomit and/or spit-up or any protection to the infant from sharp beards, jewelry, clothing or zippers, and the like.

To protect the clothing of the caregiver from infant spit-up and/or vomit, blankets or bibs are known to be worn by the caregiver, but these devices do not provide any support to the infant to hold the infant securely.

As it is also known to be tiring to hold an infant for long periods of time. Various devices are known to provide vertical support to the infant while the caregiver is moving, standing or sitting. The most common type of infant carriers involves a structure that fully encircles the shoulders and lower torso of the caregiver, for example as described in United States Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0133551 by Heidt. Although this type of infant carrier supports an infant securely, it cannot be readily transferred between different caregivers without considerable effort and possible resizing of the carrier from caregiver to caregiver so as to cause disturbance or disruption to the infant.

Known infant supporting garments also fail to protect an infant from irritation resulting from repeated contact with the neck area of a bearded caregiver, jewelry worn by a caregiver or zippers, collars, buttons and rough clothing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The infant supporting garment described herein (i) gently and comfortably supports an infant, (ii) protects the infant's face, (iii) and provides protection to the caregiver's clothing and/or body from spit-up and/or vomit from the infant.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an infant supporting garment for use by a caregiver to support an infant, the garment comprising:

a tubular neck member arranged to be worn about a neck of the caregiver;

a bib member joined to a bottom end of the tubular neck member and including two side portions spanning laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to extend over shoulders of the caregiver when the tubular neck member is worn about the neck of the caregiver; and

an infant pocket supported at a front of the bib member below the tubular neck member at an intermediate location between the two side portions of the bib member, the infant pocket being sized so as to be arranged to receive an infant at least partially supported therein such that the infant is suspended from the tubular neck member and such that the infant lies against a chest of the caregiver.

When the infant pocket is supported at a front side of the bib member, preferably the bib member includes a neck opening therein in alignment with the tubular neck member in which the neck opening has a forward boundary which is elongated and tapered forwardly towards the infant pocket.

Preferably the tubular neck member increases in diameter upwardly from the bottom end of the tubular neck member that is connected to the bib member to an opposing top end of the tubular neck member.

The tubular neck structure that upwardly diverges in diameter so as to be funnel shaped, together with the surrounding bib, provides complete protection of the caregivers clothing from infant spit-up and/or vomit, in addition to protecting the infant from irritation in the event of the caregiver having a beard or facial hair jewelry, zippers or rough clothing for example. Furthermore, the tubular neck structure provides adequate support for the infant pocket that receives the infant therein so that no additional structure with arm holes for encircling the shoulders and/or lower torso of the user is required. This simplifies the process of transferring the garment between different caregivers or removing the infant from the infant pocket in order to place the infant to a different location albeit crib, car seat, stroller, mother, or other.

Preferably the bib member extends outwardly from the bottom end of the tubular neck member about a full circumference of the tubular neck member.

The bib member may define a singular bottom opening arranged to commonly receive the shoulders and a chest of the user therein.

The infant pocket may include a pair of bottom openings arranged to receive legs of the infant therethrough.

The bib member may comprise a single flat sheet of pliable material.

An auxiliary pocket may be further supported externally on the infant pocket in which the auxiliary pocket is sized to receive a mobile phone or a wallet therein.

The infant pocket may comprise (i) a rear sheet portion that is formed as a continuous sheet with the bib member and (ii) a front sheet portion joined to the rear sheet portion.

The front sheet portion may be joined to the rear sheet portion by (i) two side seams along opposing upright side edges of the front sheet portion and (ii) a bottom seam between bottom ends of the front sheet portion and the rear portion. In this instance, the infant pocket further comprises two gaps are provided between the front sheet portion and the rear sheet portion at a location between the bottom seam and the two side seams respectively, whereby the two gaps define two bottom openings for receiving the legs of the infant therethrough respectively.

The garment may further include a rear pad of material spanning across an inner portion of a seam between the tubular neck member and the bib member at a rear of the neck member so as to be arranged to be engaged upon a rear of the neck of the caregiver in use.

An elastic member may be supported on the infant pocket so as to be arranged to partially constrict a top opening of the infant pocket.

A further elastic member may be optionally supported on a portion of an upper edge of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to gather said portion of the tubular neck member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the infant supporting garment according to the present invention in the shape when worn by a user;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the infant supporting garment according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the infant supporting garment according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a primary sheet of material forming the bib member and a secondary sheet of material forming the infant pocket when laid flat, prior to assembly of the garment;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the infant supporting garment;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the accompanying figures, there is illustrated an infant supporting garment generally indicated by reference numeral 10. The garment 10 is particularly suited for being worn by a caregiver to support an infant therein such that the infant lies against the upper chest of the user, while protecting the infant from irritation of any facial hair, zippers from caregiver's clothing, jewelry worn by the caregiver or being irritated by perfumes along the neck area of the caregiver and protecting the caregiver from any spit-up and/or/vomit by the infant in return.

The garment 10 generally includes (i) a tubular neck member 20 to be worn about the neck of the caregiver, (ii) a bib member 30 joined to the neck member to extend over shoulders of the caregiver, and (iii) an infant pocket 40 joined to one of the neck member 20 or the bib member 30 for supporting the infant therein at a front side of the bib member.

The neck member 20 is joined to the bib member in alignment with a neck opening in the bib member 30. The neck opening in the bib member 30 has a rear boundary edge that is semi-circular in shape and an opposite forward boundary edge that is elongated and tapered forwardly towards a V-shaped apex extending downwardly towards an upper boundary of the infant pocket 40.

The neck member 20 is elongate and tubular between a top opening 24 at a top end and a bottom opening 26 at a bottom end thereof. A diameter of the neck member increases upwardly from the bottom end of the tubular neck member 20 that is connected to the bib member 30 to an opposing top end of the tubular neck member such that the tubular neck member is generally funnel shaped. The tubular neck member 20 spans a greater height between top and bottom edges at the front of the garment than at a rear of the garment.

The neck member is formed of a soft, pliable fabric material, for example a flannel material or soft waterproof material, which can be gathered to adjust the overall height thereof or which can be folded over upon itself to vary the height thereof. Optionally, an elastic member 31 supported on a portion of an upper edge of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to partly gather said portion of the tubular neck member about the neck of the user.

A rear pad 33 of reinforcing material spans across a portion of the seam between the tubular neck member and the bib member at a rear of the neck member so as to be arranged to be engaged upon a rear of the neck of the caregiver in use. The rear pad 33 spans across the seam to overlap part of the inner surface of the neck member and part of the inner surface of the bib member while extending lateral across a rear of the seam between the neck member and the bib member. The rear pad may include multiple layers of material or padding therein to distribute any weight carried by the rear of the neck member onto a larger area of the rear of the neck of the user.

The bib member 30 is joined to the bottom end of the tubular neck member 20. More particularly, the bib member 30 comprises a flat, soft, and preferably waterproof material extending radially outward in all directions from the neck member about the full circumference thereof. The bib member is similarly pliable so as to allow a bottom peripheral edge 34 to fall naturally in a pleated form about the torso of the caregiver when worn by the caregiver.

The bib member may be wider in a lateral direction so as to define two side portions 32 extending laterally outwardly in opposing directions from the bottom end of the bib member 30 to extend generously over the shoulders respectively of the caregiver. The peripheral edge 34 of the bib member 30 defines a boundary of a singular bottom opening of the bib member which is sized to commonly receive the shoulders, chest and upper torso of the user through the bottom side of the bib member. The resulting structure of the bib member is devoid of any defined sleeve or arm holes and is further devoid of any wrapping of material about the shoulders, arms or torso under the shoulders of the user, nor are any snaps or Velcro™ required for securement to the caregiver which might otherwise startle and scare the infant.

In the illustrated embodiment, the bib member comprises a single flat sheet of pliable material which is trapezoidal in shape so as to be wider along a rear edge of the sheet than along a front edge of the sheet. The front of the bib member thus tapers downwardly and inwardly towards the bottom end thereof when worn by a user.

The infant pocket 40 is supported on the front of the bib member 30 between the two side portions 32 of the bib member so as to be located primarily below the bottom end of the neck member 20. The infant pocket 40 is formed by a front panel (or front sheet portion) 42 and a rear panel (or rear sheet portion) 44 joined to one another along laterally opposing side edges and along a bottom edge while remaining open between the top edges thereof for insertion of a swaddled infant therethrough. The rear sheet portion 44 of the infant pocket is formed as a continuous sheet with the bib member such that the rear sheet portion of the infant pocket and the bib member comprises a single, unitary, seamless panel of material.

More particularly, the front sheet portion 42 is joined to the rear sheet portion by (i) two side seams along opposing upright side edges of the front sheet portion and (ii) a bottom seam between bottom ends of the front sheet portion and the rear portion. The front sheet portion may be formed from a single, unitary, seamless panel of material that tapers downwardly and inwardly to be narrower at the bottom end than the top end thereof. The bottom of the single panel of material is stepped in profile as shown in a disassembled configuration in FIG. 4 so as to form a narrower bottom tab than forms the bottom of the infant pocket between two leg openings 46 of the infant pocket when the bottom edge is fastened to the bottom of the rear sheet portion 44. When the front sheet portion is fastened to the rear sheet portion, two gaps are provided in the seams joining the front sheet portion and the rear sheet portion to define the leg openings 46. The two gaps are provided between the bottom seam and the two side seams respectively, whereby the two gaps define two bottom openings that receive the legs of the infant therethrough respectively.

The infant pocket 40 is sized to receive a typical swaddled infant therein such that the infant is seated on the bottom of the infant pocket 40. The leg openings 46 on both lower corners of the infant pocket are laterally spaced apart along the bottom of the infant pocket. The leg openings 46 allow the legs of the infant to extend through the leg holes if large enough. The head of the infant is typically positioned near to or slightly above the top opening of the infant pocket 40. The head of the infant is thus well positioned for resting against the chest or on the shoulder of the caregiver in close proximity to the neck of the caregiver. The infant pocket further includes an elastic member fastened along a top edge of the front sheet portion to define an elasticized rim 48 spanning across the top edge of the front panel 42 with padding within to soften the edge to comfortably support the head or face of the infant. The infant pocket measures approximately 20″ wide and 15″ deep. The elastic material within the rim 48 results in some gathering of the rim.

The garment relies on the neck member as the primary support relative to the caregiver such that transferring of the garment between different caregivers involves merely removal over the head of the user and subsequent insertion of the head of a new user upwardly through the neck member. Once mounted in position, a swaddled infant can be easily inserted into the infant pocket through the open top end of the infant pocket. The caregiver can sit or stand with ease while the infant remains safely secured, cuddled and kept warm. The garment's main purpose is to help caregivers to sit and relax while keeping the infant in place and to protect the caregivers from spit-up and/or vomit. The garment can also be used as a safety device for holding the infant securely even if the caregiver becomes sleepy for example. The adjustable height of the neck member due to its pliability provides adequate support to suspend the infant therefrom while also allowing caregivers with facial hair along their neck or under their chin to cuddle closely with the infant while protecting the infant from irritation from the hair of the caregiver. The garment also protects the infant from sharp zippers from caregiver's clothing or jewelry worn by the caregiver or being irritated by perfumes.

The front of the infant pocket 40 contains an auxiliary pocket 60 that is rectangular in shape and that is sized to receive the caregiver's silenced cell phone or wallet/ID. The auxiliary pocket 60 is externally supported on the infant pocket so as to be externally accessible through an open top end of the auxiliary pocket.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as herein above described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense. 

1. An infant supporting garment for use by a caregiver to support an infant, the garment comprising: a tubular neck member arranged to be worn about a neck of the caregiver; a bib member joined to a bottom end of the tubular neck member and including two side portions spanning laterally outwardly from opposing sides of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to extend over shoulders of the caregiver when the tubular neck member is worn about the neck of the caregiver; and an infant pocket supported at a front of the bib member below the tubular neck member at an intermediate location between the two side portions of the bib member, the infant pocket being sized so as to be arranged to receive an infant at least partially supported therein such that the infant is suspended from the tubular neck member and such that the infant lies against a chest of the caregiver.
 2. The garment according to claim 1 wherein the tubular neck member increases in diameter upwardly from the bottom end of the tubular neck member that is connected to the bib member to an opposing top end of the tubular neck member.
 3. The garment according to either one of claim 1 wherein the infant pocket is supported at a front side of the bib member and wherein the bib member includes a neck opening therein in alignment with the tubular neck member, the neck opening having a forward boundary which is elongated and tapered forwardly towards the infant pocket.
 4. The garment according to any one of claim 1 wherein the bib member defines a singular bottom opening arranged to commonly receive the shoulders and a chest of the user therein.
 5. The garment according to any one of claim 1 wherein the bib member extends outwardly from the bottom end of the tubular neck member about a full circumference of the tubular neck member.
 6. The garment according to any one of claim 1 wherein the infant pocket includes a pair of bottom openings arranged to receive legs of the infant therethrough.
 7. The garment according to any one of claim 1 wherein the bib member comprises a single flat sheet of pliable material.
 8. The garment according to any one of claim 1 further comprising an auxiliary pocket supported externally on the infant pocket, the auxiliary pocket being sized to receive a mobile phone or a wallet therein.
 9. The garment according to any one of claim 1 wherein the infant pocket comprises (i) a rear sheet portion that is formed as a continuous sheet with the bib member and (ii) a front sheet portion joined to the rear sheet portion.
 10. The garment according to claim 9 wherein the front sheet portion is joined to the rear sheet portion by (i) two side seams along opposing upright side edges of the front sheet portion and (ii) a bottom seam between bottom ends of the front sheet portion and the rear portion, the infant pocket further comprising two gaps are provided between the front sheet portion and the rear sheet portion at a location between the bottom seam and the two side seams respectively, whereby the two gaps define two bottom openings for receiving the legs of the infant therethrough respectively.
 11. The garment according to any one of claim 1 further comprising a rear pad of material spanning across an inner portion of a seam between the tubular neck member and the bib member at a rear of the neck member so as to be arranged to be engaged upon a rear of the neck of the caregiver in use.
 12. The garment according to any one of claim 1 further comprising an elastic member supported on the infant pocket so as to be arranged to partially constrict a top opening of the infant pocket.
 13. The garment according to any one of claim 1 further comprising an elastic member supported on a portion of an upper edge of the tubular neck member so as to be arranged to gather said portion of the tubular neck member. 